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Best Unagi in Osaka

Unagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eel in Japan. For those with any familiarity with Japanese cuisine, you’ll recognise it as one of the toppings available at sushi restaurants. But, there are also entire restaurants specialising in serving just grilled unagi!

Hitsumabushi
Hitsumabushi - image © Florentyna Leow

Dig even just a little into unagi in Japan and you’ll find two culinary camps: Kanto-style and Kansai-style. What’s the difference between these two? Kanto-style (East Japan) sees the eel being sliced open along the back and steamed prior to grilling, giving it a more tender texture. In West Japan or Kansai, they dispense with the steaming altogether. The eel is sliced along the belly and grilled immediately, rendering it beautifully crispy on the outside.

Osaka eel restaurants serve unagi mainly in the Kansai-style. Eel isn’t the cheapest meal around. It’s a little more expensive than your average meal in Osaka, and given the dwindling supplies of unagi from overfishing, an above-average meal of eel will set you back at least JPY3,000. So if you’re going to eat some eel, it may as well be good. We’ve put together a list of some unagi restaurants that are definitely way better than average!

  • Yoshitora (Central Osaka; moderate)
    On the east side of Honmachi, in the direction of Osaka Castle, this hidden unagi (eel) specialist is a great place to try sublime unagi in refined and relaxing surroundings. It’s a good idea to have a Japanese speaker call in advance for reservations and to place the order. It’s down a small private walkway.
  • Unagiya (Shin-Osaka Area; moderate)
    It takes a bit of courage to enter this traditional unagi (eel) restaurant a few minutes’ walk southwest of Shin-Osaka Station, but it’s worth it: the unagi here is sublime. Expect to pay around Y3,500. Look for the blue noren curtain.
  • Honke Shibato (Central; moderate to expensive)
    Unagi set meals at Koraibashi’s 300 year-old Honke Shibato don’t come cheap, but it’s a meal that’s worth splashing out on.

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